All we have to do is kick the door open and the whole rotten structure inside will collapse!

―Adolf Hitler

===== dividing line =====

May 15, 1940, 3 a.m.

Ribbentrop kept pinching the pocket watch in his hand in his study with the lights off. He was waiting, waiting for a telegram from Berlin.

This telegram will touch the entire Soviet-German border, and even the very heart of this world. Ribbentrop felt his hands tremble, and he needed a glass of whiskey to calm his mind.

But he knew better that he couldn't touch even a drop of wine now. So he could only unconsciously pinch his pocket watch and wait silently in the study with the lights off.

In the outer room of the study, there is a secret radio station. This is the channel between Ribbentrop and the country, and the interpreters of this radio station are all elite diplomats who have been rigorously vetted and selected at various levels.

On the Baltic coast, Field Marshal Wilhelm Ritter von Lieb was also waiting for this telegram from Berlin in his forward headquarters.

The German generals in the headquarters stared at each other, and everyone involuntarily straightened their waists. Quietly awaiting orders from Berlin.

And Field Marshal Fedor von Bock, the German Army Group Center, also led his subordinates to wait quietly in the conference room of the front headquarters at this time.

Yaduff, Shedrlai, Vamaki...... The German troops on the entire front were already waiting for the rest of the day. All live ammunition was issued, and tanks and fighters were in a warm-up state and could take to the air at any time to fight or go straight to the Soviet positions!

Field Marshal Gert von Rundstedt's Army Group South was also waiting for orders, but unlike the silence elsewhere, there was a complete frenzy here.

Looking at the flush of excitement on the faces of these warriors, you knew that they couldn't wait to enter the battlefield. But they're all soldiers, and they need orders.

Thereupon. They are waiting. The mustache that awaited Berlin, who was not tall but had made all of Europe tremble at his feet, gave them the final order to attack.

May 15, 1940 at 4 a.m., including Ribbentrop, Field Marshal Fedor von Bock, Field Marshal Wilhelm Ritter von Lieb...... And so the German generals received this telegram.

Everyone let out a long breath, and the various army groups began to methodically organize their armies to prepare for the attack. At the same time, Ribbentrop urgently drove directly to Kalinin's residence.

Kalinin did not sleep at this time. He was urgently discussing with Moscow the recent developments in the German army, trying to determine when Germany would launch an attack on the Soviet Union.

During this period, the activities of the German army became more frequent, and the number of reconnaissance aircraft in the skies over the Soviet Union also increased. Ribbentrop lowered his demands a little during this time, and the Germans agreed to join forces with the Soviet Union for those resources and minerals.

But the Germans had to work more than 60 percent of the minerals, and 60 percent of the ore produced had to be sold to Germany. These can be offset with weapons.

Germany also agreed to sell a batch of equipment to the Soviet Union. And support a batch of weapons. However, technical cooperation will need to wait until the Soviet Union defeats Canada.

"That's our bottom line, Mr. Kalinin. We can't make any more concessions! The way Ribbentrop spoke at that time made Kalinin feel that something was wrong.

But it is also very likely that Ribbentrop pretended to be a deception, after all, this is a famous diplomat. Even using some looks, movements, and body language to deceive people is normal.

And after entering May. Kalinin's unease was growing. It was summer, which meant that the German offensive was about to begin.

But now Ribbentrop's attitude also made the Soviet side discourage Germany. Do they want to fight or do they really want to cooperate?!

What was said to be a condition that could not be backed down has now been partially backed down. Although it did not touch the core, it also made the Soviet Union feel excited.

After all, Germany now has a large advantage, and if it cooperates with Germany, it means that the battlefield will not exist in the territory of the Soviet Union, but in Canada on the other side of the Bering Strait.

"I can't tell if what Foreign Minister Ribbentrop said is the truth or merely a deception. Their conditions are so real that even I think we should continue to negotiate. But reason tells me. This is nothing more than a trick by the Germans. ”

"The more they lower their conditions so much, the closer the war will be to us." Kalinin said this in a telegram to the Kremlin in Moscow.

"Their conditions are tempting, but good-looking mushrooms are always poisonous...... We should be more prepared. Especially the front-line ...... on the border with the Germans"

Kalinin's idea is wonderful. He wanted the Soviet Union to strengthen its defenses in the event of a possible all-out war from Germany. But alas. The Soviet army is still in internal disarray.

Within the Supreme Council of Soviets, the two factions of the Stalin faction and the Trotsky faction seemed to have been reconciled. But the private struggle never stopped.

From the army to the locality, from government affairs to the military. All of these are the focus of their struggle. The Stalinist faction wanted to seize military power so that it could control the entire Soviet. After all, there is no regime of the army. It's just a castle in the air.

Naturally, the Trotsky faction, which had suffered losses, would not easily let Stalin's men succeed, and they were constantly inserting their own men into the newly formed army.

At the same time, use the conditions of your old qualifications. Frequent movement around. Trying to make the military work better for itself.

Under this kind of open and covert struggle, the current situation of the Soviet army can be imagined. Although they were reluctantly united, the forces of all the different factions were in harmony with each other.

Not to mention working together, it's good that they didn't stab each other.

As for the open and secret struggle of the people below, Stalin and Trotsky knew but could not do anything about it. This is where their faction is rooted. No one is willing to make even the slightest concession on this matter.

Even if they are willing to give in, the people below will think more about it for their own safety.

"President Kalinin, Foreign Minister Ribbentrop is here! He said that there was an urgent matter to ask you, and said that the matter was related to the diplomatic relations between the Soviet Union and Germany...... "The secretary hurriedly walked into Kalinin's study and said to Kalinin urgently.

"Oh?! Do you see what's going on?! Kalinin hurriedly put on his coat. He asked the secretary.

"I don't see it, I think it's very likely that there was some kind of conflict with the Germans on my border." The secretary thought for a moment and said to Kalinin.

This is not uncommon, and there have been sporadic clashes between the two sides since the German troops were stationed on the Soviet border. Ribbentrop had already approached Kalinin several times for this matter.

"Hmm...... I guess this time the situation is not small, I will go and see it right now......" Kalinin lamented, since the troops at the front were not subordinate to each other and were not convinced by each other.

As a result, there will always be some friction between the two sides. Sometimes it is normal to misfire, directly causing an overreaction of the German troops on the opposite side of the position.

Kalinin put on his coat and walked briskly out of the room towards the reception room.

In the reception room. Ribbentrop continued to walk in great anxiety. It wasn't until he heard Kalinin's footsteps that an imperceptible smile appeared on his lips.

"Your Excellency Kalinin! I have repeatedly asked you to restrain the Soviet soldiers at the front. Please don't open fire on our positions lightly, it will cause misunderstanding......"

"I know! I also sent a telegram to Moscow asking for caution at the front. No fire shall be opened during the negotiations......"

When Kalinin heard this, he really thought that there was another misfire on the border. Quickly explained. Now the Soviet Union is not fully prepared, although with the support of Britain and the United States, a number of soldiers have been forcefully trained.

But against more than two million Wehrmacht troops, this is not enough. In particular, the German army used at least more than 3,000 tanks and warplanes in this sortie.

Kalinin did not think that the old Soviet tanks and the new tanks of less than 800 taels would be able to withstand the onslaught of the Germans.

"Nope! Your Excellency Kalinin, I think our negotiations can be terminated......" Ribbentrop took out a bag and handed it to Kalinin, seemingly in pain.

"Our Führer is already impatient to continue negotiations. He was already disgusted with accidents that always happened. I was also bored with the negotiations that had dragged on for months......" Ribbentrop handed the bag to Kalinin, and the anxious look on his face suddenly became solemn.

"We in Germany have finally made a decision after urgent discussions......" Ribbentrop looked at Kalinin's increasingly blue face and said, "I now officially represent Germany." Declare war on the USSR !! ”

When Kalinin heard the words "declare war" from Ribbentrop's lips, he almost fell to the ground.

It's coming, it's finally coming! Kalinin laughed miserably, the USSR had finally come to this point. It's just less than a second. Kalinin's mind turned and turned to calm down.

"I, Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Soviets Mikhail Ivanovich Kalinin. Accept your declaration of war on behalf of the USSR! But for a moment, Kalinin calmed down and took the declaration of war.

"Foreign Minister Ribbentrop, I greatly appreciate your negotiating skills. Hopefully, when Germany signs the instrument of surrender, your skills will be put to good use in the future. Kalinin coldly handed the declaration of war to his secretary.

Kalinin's secretary took the declaration of war and hurried back to the telecommunications room. The news of Germany's declaration of war must be immediately transmitted to Moscow and informed to the troops on the front, otherwise the consequences will be unimaginable!

"Nope! My diplomatic skills will be applied to the surrender negotiations of the Soviet Union. Ribbentrop looked at Kalinin and said-for-tat: "We'll meet again, President Kalinin." Next time, I will accept your invitation in Moscow to taste the most delicious caviar and vodka. ”

"Dear Foreign Minister Ribbentrop, believe me! We will only meet again in Berlin. Kalinin smiled coldly and said, "Of course I will treat you to the best caviar, but you will have to change into prison clothes......

PS: Chapter 2...... I still owe you a lot of chapters...... I have to take my daughter to take a hundred days of photography tomorrow, and I guess I won't be back until later. If I can, I'll make up for it with two more chapters......